Method of and apparatus for coating substances with metals or alloys



Dec. 14, 1937. A A N 2,101,854

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR COATING SUBSTANCES WITH METALS OR ALLOYS Filed Jan. 15, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet l In. M 11H! 7% Dec. 14, 1937. c, H Z 2,101,854

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR COATING SUBSTANCES WITH METALS OR ALLOYS Filed Jan. 15, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 i ,fnv'enfog 53 M, K

Dec. 14, 1937. c NZ 2,101,854

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR COATING SUBSTANCES WITH METALS OR ALLOYS Filed Jan. 15, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 r Zumnit'az; M 7.

Patented Dec. 14, 1937 UNITED STATES Mn'rnop or AND APPARATUS sunsrsncns wrrn Charles F. Haunz, Buihlo, N. Y.

Foa COATING Marius on armors 1 Application January 15,1932, sci-n1 No. saasci porous substances with a metal or alloy in a fluid or molten state.

One of its objects is the provision of an improved coating method and apparatus by which one may eifectually and efliciently apply a metallic coating to wood and like materials so as to render the same impervious to moisture and prevent premature deterioration, whereby the wood or like metallic-coated substance is rendered more durable and its life prolonged.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for applying metallic coatings which is simple, compact and inexpensive in construction, which is reliable in operation, and whose parts are so designed and arranged as to require a minimum expenditure of power and labor for Operating it.

Other features of the invention reside in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinline 33, Figure 2. Figure 4 is a side elevation of the machine. Figure 5 is an enlarged tragmentary longitudinal section taken 'on line 5-5, Figure 2. Figure 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of the discharge nozzle of the apparatus and of line 1 Figure 2.

Similar characters of reference indicate corwhich the metal-containing vessel is arranged and whereby the metal is maintained in its proper fluid state for application to the part to be coated; a platform or table for supporting the wood or like substance to be coated and having a nozzle or discharge opening in its top side; means for delivering the fluid metal under impact to the nozzle and thence against that portion of the wood immediately over the nozzle; means for holding the board in operative relation to the nozzle during the application of the coating thereto; means for forming 31 Claims. (0]. SDI-12.2)

a fluid-tight seal between the portion or the wood being coated and the sequence to efiect a continuous, step-like application of the metallic coating to the wood or like substance.

of example, consisting of a base III, a table or platform ll surmounting the base and supported on suitable standards molten metal or an alloy of m al which is suitable for coating purposes. Sur sel is a heating chamber I! w 01 the chamber-extension I I are dampers 2| and 22, respectively, for controlling the passage of the warm air directly through the discharge flue 20 or through the heating duct I9.

Located in the top side of the table II is an upwardly opening discharge provided with one or more inlets 25 communieating with the vessel-contents and a discharge port 26 arranged in the lower end of the cylinder, the latter beinghorfnected by a pipe 21 with the inlet end of the discharge nozzle 23. Operating in this cylinder for controlling the intake and the discharge under pressure of the fluid metal, is a piston 28 which may be reciprocated in any approved manner. An upwardly closing check valve 29 is disposed at the discharge end of the cylinder which is adapted to seat against the dis-' charge port 26 to prevent the fluid in the nozzle and feed pipe 21 from hacking into the cylinder on the return stroke of the piston.

The preferred means for reciprocating the piston 28 in its cylinder 24 consists of a rocking yoke composed of spaced parallel arms 38, 38 which are disposed transversely over the top side of the table I l and which are fulcrumed at one end on a horizontal fulcrum pin 3| supported in suitable brackets 32 secured to the table. At its free end, this yoke is connected by a pitman 33 to a strap 34 encircling an eccentric 35 mounted on a drive shaft 36 journaled in suitable bearings 31 mounted on the base 10 of the machine and having a pulley 38 thereon adapted to be connected to any suitable source of power. Connected to the yoke-arms 30 intermediate their ends is a pendent link 38 joined at its lower end to the connecting rod 40 of the piston 28.

Means are provided for positively and eflectually holding the board in firm, fluid-tight rela-, tion over the mouth of the discharge nozzle 23, so that when the piston is moved downwardly in its cylinder 24 the resultant pressure transmitted to the fluid metal will be exerted against the portion of the board overlying the nozzle with the result that the metal will be applied to the board and partially impregnate the same. The means for holding the board firmly over the nozzle against the pressure of the fluid-metal preferably consists of a clamping head or shoe 4| disposed in substantially axial alinement over the discharge nozzle and mounted for vertical movement into and out of clamped relation with the board to be coated, which is indicated by the numeral 42. For this purpose, the clamping shoe is arranged to be actuated by the rocking yoke 30 in accordance with the operative and return strokes of the piston 28, and as seen in Figures 3 and 4, the shoe 4| is suspended from a leaf spring 43 disposed between the yoke-arms 30 and connected at its ends to the pivot 3| and to the pivot 44 of the piston rod connecting link 39. By this construction, upon the movement of the rocking yoke in a direction to force the fluidmetal against the underside of the board 42, the clamping shoe 4| is simultaneously forced downwardly against the top side of the board to flrmly hold it over the nozzle, and the leaf spring 43 permits of the continuing movement of the piston to the end of its operative stroke, thereby resulting in the tensioning of the spring which is in turn exerted downwardly onto the clamping shoe to positively resist vertical displacement of the board during the coating operation.

To prevent leakage of the coating fluid between the nozzle 23 and the board 42 during the application of the coating under pressure, I provide means for forming a fluid-tight seal between such parts. These means preferably consist of contractible jaws 45 mounted on the top side of the table at opposite sides of the discharge nozzle 23 and disposed parallel to the direction of movement of the board 42. These jaws are movable toward and from the axis of the nozzle into and out of sealing engagement of the side edges of the board, and for this purpose are slidably connected to the table through the medium of bolts 45 engaging transverse slots 41 in the table. At their opposing inner edges these jaws terminate in knife-like edges 48 which slightly penetrate the side edges of the board in their contracted sealing position. While any suitable means may be employed for contracting the jaws to their sealed position, I preferably employ means operable in conjunction withthe clamping shoe 4|, so that when the latter is moved to its clamped position, the jaws are simultaneously moved to their sealed position. To this end, I provide the clamping shoe with a frame or holder 49 in which are guided for relative vertical movement a pair of jaw-engaging members or plates 50 which extend below the clamping shoe and its frame and on the down stroke of said shoe are adapted to engage the beveled side faces of the jaws and.

thereby contract them about the board. At their upper ends these jaw-engaging plates are attached to the ends of a pair of leaf springs which are attached intermediate their ends to the yoke arms 30, in the manner shown in Figures 2, 3' and 4. This yieldable suspension of the jaw-engaging plates 53 insures the positive contraction of the jaws 45 upon the operative stroke of the piston 28 and upon the up stroke of the latter forces theplates from engagement with the jaws.

The escape of the fluid metal at those ends of the board adjoining the transverse edges of the nozzle 23 is preferably guarded against by means of sealing ribs 52 disposed crosswise of the table in substantial alinement with the adjoining edges of the nozzle. When the board reaches a position for coating a portion of the same, these ribs are adapted to penetrate the board and thereby form a fluid seal between the nozzle and the end portions of the board being coated. The ribs 52 also serve as guides for the jaws 45, which are provided in their under sides with companion grooves 53 for receiving such ribs.

Any suitable means may be employed for intermittently feeding the board or other substance to be coated lengthwise of the table and over the discharge 'mouth of the nozzle 22 to suecessively coat portions of the board in a continuous or step-like fashion. As shown in the drawings, these means may consist of upper and lower feed rollers 54 and 55, respectively, the lower roller being driven and having a pinion 55 thereon engaging a driving gear 51 which constitutes a part of a ratchet feed mechanism indicated generally by the numeral 58 and of any suitable and well known construction. Mounted on the drive shaft 35 is an eccentric 59 which is connected by a pitman 68 with the ratchet feed mechanism. The ecentric 59 is so adjusted and the other parts of the apparatus are so timed that for every revolution of the drive shaft the feed rollers 54 and 55 are actuated to advance the board 42 forwardly a distance equal to that, say, of the width of the mouth of the discharge nozzle 23. The upper roller 54 is held yieldingly in contact with the board by springs 6|. In some cases, it is desirable to roughen the surfaces of the board or other substance to be coated and for this purpose the feed rollers may be provided with a knurled or other roughening surface.

As is shown in Figure 3, the arrangement of parts is such that the metallic coating is applied to the underside of the board as well as its adjoining side edges. In this case, the opposite ends of the inner faces of the sealing jaws 45 are boxed in, as indicated at 62, and the edges thereof may be likewise knife-like to penetrate the wood to produce an effective seal at the ends of the jaws.

If it is desired to produce an ornamental surface of metal on a board or like substance, a templet, stencil, or pattern sheet 63 may be disposed in the mouth of the nozzle 23, as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 7, so that when the machine is operated the desired pattern will be applied to the board in embossed-like fashion, in one or more layers. v

Briefly stated, the operation of the apparatus is as follows:

Assume the parts to be in their inoperative position shown by dotted lines in Figure 3, wherein the piston 28 is in its elevated position, the clamping shoe 4| and jaw-engaging plate 48 are in their elevated position, and the. jaws 45 in their released or non-sealing position. The board to be coated is now placed on the table of the machine with its fr nt portion disposed over the discharge mouth of the nozzle. Upon starting up the machine, the rocking yoke 30 is swung downwardly to bring the clamping shoe in engagement with the board and to simultaneously contract the jaws 45 into fluid sealing engagement with the side edges of the board, the downward pressure on the shoe being transmitted to the board whose underside is brought into sealing engagement with the ribs 52. During this downward movement of the yoke, cylinder 24 and after the clamping of the board has taken place; the piston continues its stroke to force the fluid metal into the nozzle and impact it against the portion of the board disposed over the nozzle. Upon the upstroke of the yoke 30, the.piston is elevated in its cylinder, the clamping shoe and its associated parts are released fromengagement with the board and for the balance of this upward stroke, the feed rollers actuated to propel the board the required distance to expose the next portion of the board to the nozzle so as to receive its coating.

I claim as my invention:

1. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a cylinder adapted for communication with a source of coating material and having coated is placed, a piston operable in said cylinder for forcing the coating material against that porand opposing contractible jaws applied to the face of the nozzle and engagable with the side edges of the element for creating a fluid-tight joint therewith.

2. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a cylinder adapted for communication with a source of coating material and having a discharge, a nozzle connected with said cylinderdischarge and over which the element to be coated is placed, a piston operable in said cylinder for forcing the coating material against that portion of the element disposed over the nozzle, means for holding the element against said nozzle during the operative stroke of the piston, opposing contractible jaws applied to the face of the noz zle and engageable with the side edges of the element for creating a fluid-tight joint therewith, and means applied to said element-holding means for actuating said jaws.

the piston is lowered in its 3. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a cylinder adapted for communication with a source of coating material andhaving a discharge, a nozzle connected with said cylinder-discharge and over which the element to'be coated is placed, a piston operable in said cylinder for forcing the coating material against that nozzle and engageable with the side edges of the element for creating a fluid-tight joint therewith, a jaw-engaging member applied to said holding means and guided thereon for movement relative thereto to control the contraction of the jaws, and spring means engaging said jaw-engaging member for yieldingly resisting its movement in one direction.

4. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a cylinder adapted for communication with a source of coating material and having a discharge, a nozzle connected with said cylinderdischarge and over which the element to be coated is placed, a piston operable in said cylinder for forcing the coating material by pressure against that portion of the element disposed over the nozzle, means for holding the element against said nozzle during the operative stroke of the piston, sealing ribs applied to the face of the nozzle for engagement with the underside of the element to form a fluid-tight joint therewith, and" opposing contractible jaws applied to said nozzle at substantially right angles to said sealing ribs and engageable with the side edges of the element for creating a fluid-tight joint therewith.

5. An apparatus of the cl.- racter described,

comprising a cylinder adapteo for communica-' tion with a source'of coating material and having a discharge, a nozzle connected with said cylinder-discharge and over which the element to be coated is placed, a piston operable in said cylinder for forcing the coating material against that portion of the element disposed over the nozzle, a rocking yoke including spaced arms, an operative connection between said yoke and the pores of the wood before congealing. 7. The process of applying a protective metal pores of said face before it congeals.

8. The. process of impregnating the surface portion of a porous body with a metal, which comprises bringing a face portion of the porous body momentarily into'face to face contact with the exposed surface only of a relatively considerable body of fused fluid metal, and then immediately creating a considerable face to face pressure between said porous body face and said surface of the fused fluid metal body to cause the fluid metal to enter the pores of said porous body without congealing, through the pressure and heat of the fluid metal, and then removing the porous body from contact with said surface to allow congelation of the metal that has entered the pores thereof.-

9. The process of applying a protective metal to the face of a fibrous body which comprises confining the space around said face, and momentarily and suddenly applying a substantial body of a molten metal under high pressure and as a unit to said face solely in said space to cause the metal to penetrate the pores of said body before congealing.

10. Apparatus for impregnating porous objects with a metal, which comprises a receptacle for fused metal, a pump connected to said receptacle for drawing fused metal therefrom and having a delivery pipe terminating in a horizontal discharge orifice, means for tightly clamping the porous object across said orifice, means for heating the metal in said receptacle, pump and pipe to keep it fused, and means for operating said pump, to draw fused metal from said receptacle, deliver it under a high pressure to said orifice, and impact it under high pressure against said porous object, whereby some of the fused metal at the orifice will enter the pores of said object before it congeals.

11. Apparatus for impregnating porous objects with a metal which comprises a receptacle for fluid metal, a pump connected to said receptacle for drawing fused-metal therefrom and having a delivery pipe terminating in an approximately horizontal orifice just slightly above the metal level in said receptacle, a clamping device associated with said orifice for clamping a porous object across said orifice, sealing means along the edge of the orifice and shiftable into engagement with the sides of the porous object when it is clamped across the orifice, and common means for clamping the porous object across the orifice and automatically shifting the sealing means into firm engagement with the sides of the porous object.

12. Apparatus for impregnating porous objects with a metal which comprises a receptacle for fluid metal, a pump connected to said receptacle for drawing fused metal therefrom and having a delivery pipe terminating in an approximately horizontal orifice just slightly above the metal level in said receptacle, a clamping device associated with said orifice for clamping a porous object across said orifice, sealing means along the edge of the orifice and shiftable into engagement with the sides of the porous object when it is clamped across the orifice, common means for clamping the porous object across the orifice and automatically shifting the sealing means into firm engagement with the sides of the porous object, and common operating means for said pump and clamping means with a resilient element interposed in the connection to the clamping means, whereby the clamping means and the pump may be operated concomitantly to clamp the porous object whenever the pump is operated to deliver fused metal to the orifice, and permitting continued operation of the pump after the clamping operation has been completed through said resilient element.

13. Apparatus for impregnating porous objects with a metal which comprises a receptacle for fluid metal, a pump connected to said receptacle for drawing fused metal therefrom and having a delivery pipe terminating in an approximately horizontal orifice just slightly above the metal level in said receptacle, a clamping device associated with said orifice for clamping a porous object across said orifice, sealing means along the edge of the orifice and shiftable into engagement with the sides of the porous object when it is clamped across the orifice, common means for clamping the porous object across the orifice and automatically shifting the sealing means into firm engagement with the sides of the porous object, and common operating means for said pump and clamping means with a resilient element interposed in the connection to the clamping means, whereby the clamping means and the pump may be operated concomitantly to clamp the porous object whenever the pump is operated to deliver fused metal to the orifice, and permitting continued operation of the pump after the clamping operation has been completed through said resilient element, said common means having a yielding interponent between it and said sealing means, whereby full operation of the clamping means and sealing means will always be obtained.

14. Apparatus for coating and impregnating a porous object with fused metal which comprises an upright receptacle for the fused metal, a bridge across said receptacle and having an upwardly opening cavity in its upper face, a pump disposed in said receptacle and having an intake opening into said receptacle, and having a delivery pipe extending upwardly into said cavity, whereby the pump will draw fused metal from said receptacle and deliver it to said cavity, the fused metal surrounding the 'pump and delivery pipe keeping the contents of said delivery pipe and pump fluid, means for clamping a porous object to be coated and impregnated across said cavity and sealing said cavity, and means for operating said pump to force the fluid metal into said cavity and under high pressure against a face of said porous object, whereby the fused metal in the cavity will enter the pores of said object before the metal eongeals.

15. An apparatus for applying a metallic coating to an object of fibrous material, comprising a nozzle plate having a cavity in its upper face over which said object may be placed, a source of fluid metal under pressur connected to said cavity, and means applied to said nozzle plate about said cavity and engageable with the bottom face and side edges of said object for forming a fluid-tight joint between the plate and the object to be coated.

16. Apparatus for applying fiuld metal to a fibrous object, comprising a nozzle plate having a cavity in its upper face over which said object may be placed, a source of fiuid metal under pressure connected to said cavity, and sealing means applied about said cavity for forming a fluid-tight joint between the same and said object, a portion of said sealing means engaging the underside of said object and the other portion disposed at substantially right angles to the firstnamed portion for engaging the side edges of such object between the top and bottom faces thereof.

17. Apparatus'for applying fluid metal to a porous object comprising a cylinder, a source of fluid metal connected to said cylinder, a relatively broad nozzle connected with said cylinder and over which said object to be coated is placed, a piston operable in said cylinder for forcing and impacting the fluid metal into and against that portion of said object disposed over the nozzle, means for heating the metal in said source, said nozzle and said cylinder to keep it fluid, and means for holding said object in fluid-sealing engagement against said nozzle during the operative stroke of the piston.

18. Apparatus for applying fluid metal to a porous object, comprising a cylinder, a source of fluid metal, connected to said cylinder, a nozzle connected with said cylinder and over which said object to be coated is placed, a piston operable in said cylinder for forcing the fluid metal against that portion of said object disposed over the nozzle, a clamping shoe disposed substantially axially over the mouth of the nozzle for movement toward and from the same to hold said object in operative position for coating in opposition to the piston pressure, and a rock arm to which said piston and clamping shoe are connected for controlling their movements in predetermined sequence.

19. Apparatus for applying fluid metal to a porous object,,comprising a cylinder, a source of fluid metal connected to said cylinder, a nozzle connected with said cylinder and over which said object to be coated is placed, a piston operable in said cylinder for forcing the fluid metal against that portion of said object disposed over the nozzle, a yieldingly suspended clamping member disposed over the mouth of the nozzle for holding said object releasably in operative position for coating, and a piston-actuating means to which said clamping member is connected, said clamping member being moved to its clamped position automatically during the operative stroke of the piston.

20. Apparatus for applying fluid metal to a porous object, comprising a cylinder, a source of fluid metal connected to said cylinder, a nozzle connected with said cylinder and over which said object to be coated is placed, a piston operable in said cylinder for forcing the fluid metal against that portion of said object disposed over the nozzle, means for actuating the piston including a rock arm, and a clamping shoe resiliently suspended from said rock arm and engageable with said object for holding said object resiliently against said nozzle during the operative stroke of the piston.

21. An apparatus for applying a metallic coat ing to a porous fibrous object comprising a plate having an approximately horizontal, upper face with an aperture therethrough, means disposed on opposite sides of said aperture for engagement with a porous object to be coated while said object is resting upon said face and over said aperture, and for guiding said object for movement progressively across said aperture, said means forming a seal with the sides of said object, a source of fluid metal connected to said aperture, means adapted to force said metal through said aperture against said object repeatedly as said object is fed progressively across said aperture, and means for preventing separation of said object from said plate during the application of metal to said object through said aperture.

22. An apparatus for applying a metallic coating to a porous fibrous object which comprises a support having an approximately horizontal face and an aperture in said face, means for guiding said object across said support and over said aperture progressively-,- means for intermittently forcing fluid metal through said aperture against said object and means for clamping said object to said support in all of the different positions of said object during its travel across said support.

23. The process of applying molten metal to a fibrous object, which consists in supporting said object to be treated across a confined space in communication with but out of contact with a substantial body of the molten metal, and then subjecting said metal to pressure and impacting it suddenly against the surface of the material across said space.

24. The process of applying molten metal to a fibrous object which consists in placing said object in proximity to but out of contact with the surface of a substantial body of the molten metal, and then forcing the metal under pressure as a body against said object suddenly, whereby the metal is impacted against and congealed on the surface of said object.

25. The process of applying molten metal to untreated wood, which consists in placing said wood in surface-exposed relation to but out of contact with a substantial body of the molten metal, clamping the material in place against displacement, and then subjecting the metal to pressure, for forcing a substantial body of the metal as a unit against the exposed surface of said wood and well into the pores of the object before the metal congeals.

26. The process of applying molten metal to a fibrous object, which consists in placing said object in surface-exposed relation to but out of contact with a substantial body of the molten metal, clamping said object in place against displacement and confining the space around a zone on the face of said clamped object, and then subjecting the metal to pressure, and forcing a substantial body of it under high pressure and as a unit into said space and against said face whereby the metal is impacted against .and congealed on the face of said object.

2'7. The process of impregnating with metal the'face of a body of fibrous material, which comprises fusing said metal, and directing a substantial body of said metal, while fluid and as a unit, with a high force momentarily in contact with said face to cause the fluid metal to enter the pores of said body before congealing.

28. The process of applying a protective metal to the face of a porous body such as wood, which comprises fusing said metal, and applying a substantial body thereof suddenly and under a high pressure and as a unit while still fluid to said face while said face is at approximately room temperature to cause the fluid metal to enter the pores of said face before congealing.

29. In the process of impregnating wood in a natural condition with metal, the step of impacting a substantial body of the metal as a unit in a fluid condition suddenly and momentarily against a face of said wood, while said wood is at approximately room temperature, to cause the metal to penetrate the pores of the wood before congealing.

30. The process of applying a protective metal to the face of a porous body, which comprises fusing said metal, and forcing a substantial body of said fused metal as a unit while in motion and with considerable pressure and while still fluid against said face while said body is at approximately room temperature, to cause said metal to enter the pores of said face before it congeals.

31. The process of impregnating the surface portion of a porous, flbrous body with a metal, which comprises bringing the face of a portion only of the porous body into face to face momentary contact with the surface of a relatively considerable body of fused fluid metal, and simultaneously with said contact creating a considerable face to face pressure between said porous body face and said fused fluid metal body to cause the fluid metal to enter the pores of said porous body without congealing, through the heat and pressure of the fluid metal, and then removing the porous body to allow congelation of the metal that has entered the pores thereof.

CHARLES F. HAUNZ. 

